Animal Ordinances in Sonoma County, CA (2026)
11 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Sonoma County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Keeping chickens and small livestock in unincorporated Sonoma County is governed by the Zoning Code's animal-density rules, administered by Permit Sonoma. Density depends on the zoning district and parcel size. In Rural Residential zoning, one horse or cow, five goats, or fifty chickens are allowed per 20,000 square feet of parcel area.
Sonoma County Chickens and Backyard Livestock
Some RestrictionsSonoma County Code of Ordinances Chapter 26 (Zoning Regulations), Articles 8, 9 and 18, as summarized by Permit Sonoma Agriculture/Animals/Trees FAQ
In the Rural Residential (RR) zoning district, you can have one horse or cow or 5 goats or 50 chickens for every 20,000 square feet of parcel area. If your parcel is 2 acres or less in the LIA, LEA, DA, RRD, AR, and PCRR zones, or if you have 5 acres or less in the RR zone, then you are allowed only up to 50 chickens.
Dog Leash Laws
In unincorporated Sonoma County, the Animal Regulation Ordinance (County Code Chapter 5, Article X, Section 5-115) prohibits dogs from running at large and requires that dogs in public be restrained by a substantial leash. Exceptions cover service, police, herding, hunting, and supervised training dogs.
Sonoma County Dog Leash Laws
Some RestrictionsSonoma County Code Sec. 5-115 (Ord. No. 4782 Sec. 13, 1994)
No person shall cause, permit or allow any dog to run at large upon any public street or other public place, or upon any private property or premises other than those of the owner or other person in control of such dog, nor shall any person cause, permit or allow any dog to be upon any public street or other public place unless such dog is restrained by a substantial leash...
Breed Restrictions
Unincorporated Sonoma County does not ban or restrict any dog breed. California Food and Agricultural Code Section 31683 prohibits cities and counties from declaring any breed dangerous or vicious based on breed. Local dangerous-dog rules in County Code Chapter 5 apply to individual animals by behavior, not breed.
Sonoma County Dog Breed Restrictions
Some RestrictionsSonoma County Code of Ordinances Chapter 5, Article I, § 5-6 (Definitions)
'Pit Bull' means any Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, or American Staffordshire Terrier breed of dog, or any mixed breed of dog which contains, as an element of its breeding, the breed of Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, or American Staffordshire Terrier as to be identifiable as partially of the breed of Staffordshire Bull Terrier or American Stafford...
Beekeeping
Beekeepers in unincorporated Sonoma County must register their apiaries with the County Agricultural Commissioner under California Food and Agricultural Code Section 29040 and following sections. Registration is due by January 1 each year, with a $10 fee; hobbyists with nine or fewer hives are fee-exempt but must still register.
Sonoma County Beekeeping Rules
Significant RestrictionsCal. Food & Agric. Code Secs. 29040, 29043, 29045
[Sec. 29040] Every person that is the owner, broker, or is in possession of an apiary that is located within the state, on the first day of January of each year, shall register the number of colonies in each apiary that is owned or possessed by the person and the location of each apiary. Every person required to register under this article, shall do so on the first day of January of each year i...
Exotic Pets
Sonoma County bans exotic animals from running at large and prohibits keeping one without proof of the required federal and state permits, inspections, and approvals under County Code §§ 5-118 and 5-124.
Sonoma County Exotic Animal Permit Rules
Significant RestrictionsSonoma County Code §§ 5-118, 5-124
No person shall cause, permit or allow any exotic animal to run at large upon any public street or other public place, or upon any private property or premises other than those of the owner or other person in control of such exotic animal. ... No owner of any exotic animal shall maintain such animal without proof of proper federal and state permits, inspections, and other required approvals.
Pet Limits
In unincorporated Sonoma County, no permit is required to keep up to four dogs and/or four cats on a property. Keeping five or more typically requires a license or use permit. Five to ten animals kept non-commercially can be licensed as a pet fancier facility; five or more kept commercially is a kennel.
Sonoma County Pet Limits
Few RestrictionsSonoma County Code of Ordinances Chapter 5, Article VII (Kennels, Pet Fanciers and Pet Shops), as summarized by Permit Sonoma Agriculture/Animals/Trees FAQ
No permits required: Up to 4 dogs and/or 4 cats. Permits required: 5+ dogs/cats for commercial purposes - Use Permit needed; 5-10 dogs/cats for personal use in agricultural/rural residential zones - License from Health Department's Animal Services Division needed.
Cat Rules
Cat registration in unincorporated Sonoma County is voluntary, not mandatory like dog licensing: owners may register cats for a lifetime tag, but rabies vaccination is still required by age four months.
Sonoma County Cat Registration Rules
Light RestrictionsSonoma County Code § 5-61
Any person who owns or keeps any cat over (4) months of age may voluntarily register such cat pursuant to this article.
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Sonoma County requires every pit bull over four months old in the unincorporated area to be spayed or neutered, and any dog cited for running at large must be fixed at the owner's expense too.
Sonoma County Mandatory Spay/Neuter Rules
Heavy RestrictionsSonoma County Code § 5-171
No person shall own, harbor or keep within the unincorporated area of this county, a pit bull over the age of four months, which has not been spayed or neutered, except as provided in Section 5-170 (a)-(g), above.
Microchipping
Sonoma County doesn't require microchips for ordinary pets, but any animal formally found potentially dangerous or vicious must be microchipped and sterilized at the owner's expense.
Sonoma County Dangerous Dog Microchip Rule
Significant RestrictionsSonoma County Code § 5-138
The owner of any animal found potentially dangerous or vicious pursuant to this chapter shall, at his or her expense, have a microchip assigned by the division, implanted into the animal for identification purposes. The identifying information listed on the microchip shall be noted in the licensing files for that animal. An animal that has been found to be potentially dangerous or vicious pursu...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Sonoma County allows veterinary clinics as a permitted land use countywide, but in Rural Residential Development and Agricultural Resources zones it limits them to treating farm animals and livestock, excluding companion and exotic pets.
Sonoma County Veterinary Clinic Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsSonoma County Code § 26-28-230
A. Definition. Office and indoor facilities providing medical treatment to animals. Includes: Large and small animal veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, incidental retail sales of pharmaceuticals for the health care of the animals, kenneling of animals onsite. B. Standards. 1. RRD and AR zones: Treatment for farm animals and livestock only, not for companion and exotic animals.
Bird Protection
County parks code bars removing, harming, or destroying any bird, nest, or egg within Sonoma County Regional Parks boundaries without park authority permission, alongside protection for plants, fish, reptiles, and amphibians.
Sonoma County Bird and Nest Protection in Parks
Some RestrictionsSonoma County Code § 20-7
No person shall remove, harm or destroy any plant, either living or dead, any animal, fish (see hunting and fishing, Section 20-9), reptile, amphibian or bird, including their nest and/or eggs, or the disturbance, removal or destruction of articles or artifacts of historical, archaeological, botanical, paleontological, geological or mineral resources, in, or from any park, except when permissio...
Animal Ordinances by City in Sonoma County
2 cities in Sonoma County have their own animal ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Sonoma County ordinances
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